Buckle



F. E. STAHL Feb. 9, 1937.

BUCKLE Filed Dec:- 2l, 1934 Zhi/71,707; #HANK E STA H L IIII.

Patented Feb. 9, 1937 UNl'rsD stares PATENT GFFICE BUCKLE Application December 21, 1934., Serial No. 758,679

3 Claims.

My invention relates in general to buckles, and in particular to an al1-metal buckle.

The principal object of my invention has been to provide a buckle which is made entirely of metal and which may be used in places and for purposes where fabric or leather would be unsuitable.

Another object has been to provide a buckle which shall be positive in action and, therefore, prevent slippage when in locked position, thereby positively maintaining the chain, cable, rope, or other holding means under any desired predetermined tension.

Moreover, the buckle is provided with clamping means which are easily adjusted and quickly locked.

The above objects and advantages have been accomplished by the device shown in the accompanying drawing, of which:

Fig. 1 shows my buckle in use upon an emergency anti-skid tire chain.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, perspective view of my buckle.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, sectional elevation taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary view of a portion of the buckle showing the clamping member in its open position.

My buckle comprises a body I0 having at its.

forward end two interspaced bearing lugs II and I2. Pivotally mounted between the bearing lugs is the clamping member I3 of my device. This clamping member is provided at each side of its forward end with a trunnion I4, each of which engages a suitable aperture formed in each of the bearing lugs II and l2. This end of the clamping member is formed with a centrally arranged slot I5, thus forming two cam arms I6 and ll. Each of these cam arms is provided with a downwardly extending end portion I3 which is bent to a position where it forms an angle with the bottom surface of the clamping member, which angle is less than a right angle. These ends I8 are so proportioned and shaped that they will be brought into frictional engagement with the top surface of the body I0 of the buckle when the clamping member is moved to its locking position, as shown in Figs. 1 to 3. When in such locked position, the cam surfaces of these ends will be on one side of a center line drawn perpendicular to the base and through the trunnions and the body part of the clamping member will be on the opposite side of such line, whereby the clamping member will be frictionally locked in position. The body of the clamping member I3 is so positioned with respect to the trunnions that when it is in locking position, it will be interspaced from the top surface of the body of the buckle.

My device also comprises a tongue 28 which passes in between the cam arms I6 and Il and in the space between the clamping member and the body of the buckle. This tongue is provided with a plurality of interspaced locking lugs 2l which are engageable with suitable apertures 22 formed in the clamping member. The clamping member, as shown, is provided with three apertures 22, and one, two, or three locking lugs 2B of the tongue may be received in these apertures. There are, as shown, preferably five locking lugs carried by the tongue so as to provide ample adjustment, and the lower end 23 of the clamping member is offset so as to clear any of the locking lugs which extend below the lower aperture of the clamping member. This oiset end 23 also provides convenient means whereby the operator may easily grasp the clamp to unlock the buckle.

It is obvious that the body I0 and the tongue 2l) of the buckle are formed for suitable connection to the holding means with which the buckle is to be used. In the case of an anti-skid chain, as illustrated in Fig. 1, the body is provided preferably with outwardly extending wings 25 in each of which is formed an aperture 26 for the reception of the ends 21 of the cross chains 23. The tongue likewise is provided at its upper end with a slot 29 to which is pivotally attached a spoke link 30. This link is provided with a return bend 3| which is interspaced and which is held in place preferably by a rivet 32. In this particular case, the spoke link is also of metal and is narrow enough to pass between spokes of very small pitch, but, obviously, this link may be made of any other material and size, as desired. The opposite end of the spoke link is provided with a rolled end 33 which is pivotally engageable with a plate link 34. This link is also formed at its opposite end with a rolled portion 35 for engagement with a chain plate 36. This chain plate is formed with suitable apertures (not shown) for engaging the op- Y The tongue may have to be moved slightly one Way or the other to bring the locking lugs 2l thereof into engagement with the apertures 22 of the clamping member. When such registration is brought about, the clamping member is moved to its final locking position, as shown in Figs. 1 to 3.

While I have shown the lock lugs 2l as carried by the tongue Z0, and the apertures 22 as being formed in the clamp I3, it is obvious that these parts may be reversed, the apertures being formed in the tongue and the engaging lock lugs provided on the clamping member. Furthermore, it is obvious that the number of lugs 2l on the tongue and the number of apertures 22 in the clamping member may be increased or decreased, as desired. These and other modications of the details of the structures herein shown and described may be made Without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the appended claims, and I do not, therefore, wish to be limited to the exact embodiment of the invention as shown by the drawing.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. As an article of manufacture, a buckle, comprising a body, a clamping member pivotally carried by the body and arranged, when in looking position, to be in substantially parallel, interspaced relation with the body, a tongue disposed between the body and clamping member, and

means carried only by the tongue and the clamping member for adjustably holding the tongue in position upon the body.

2. As an article of manufacture, a buckle, comprising a body having upstanding bearing lugs, a clamping member having trunnions engageable with suitable apertures formed in the bearing lugs, said clamping member being in substantially parallel, interspaced relation with the body When in locked position, said clamping member being provided with cam means for frictionally engaging the body when in its locking position, a tongue disposed between the body and clamping member, and means carried only by the tongue and the clamping member for adjustably holding the tongue in position upon the body.

3. As an article of manufacture, a buckle, comprising a body having upstanding bearing lugs, a clamping member having trunnions engageable with suitable apertures formed in the bearing lugs, said clamping member being formed with a plurality of regularly spaced apertures, said clamping member being provided with two cam arms formed by the provision of a centrally arranged slot, said cam arms frictionally engageable with the body, and a tongue arranged under the clamping member and between it and the body, said tongue being formed with a plurality of locking lugs engageable with the apertures of the clamping member.

FRANK E. STAHL. 

